NFL Trade Rumors
One of the favorites for the 2025 Heisman trophy, Cade Klubnik is a true senior entering his third year as Clemson’s starting quarterback. Once a five-star high school recruit, Klubnik hails from Austin, Texas, and spent his freshman season as D.J. Uiagalelei’s backup. He stepped in as the starter in the ACC Championship and the Orange Bowl, flashing enough upside for HC Dabo Swinney to name him the starter going into his sophomore season.
Klubnik took a big leap forward as a junior last year, throwing for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns while adding 463 yards and seven scores on the ground. He emerged as one of the country’s leading dual-threat quarterbacks, leading the Tigers to an ACC title and College Football Playoff berth. Expectations are high for Klubnik entering his senior season — both for his college season and his draft prospects. He’s considered by many to be a first-round-caliber prospect.
Standing at 6-2, 210 pounds, Klubnik doesn’t have prototypical NFL size. That hasn’t slowed him down yet, however, as he puts up teaching tape in a number of areas. His best attribute is his accuracy, particularly in the intermediate and deep areas of the field. Watch how he dots this deep pass in a spot only his receiver can get it:
Clemson QB Cade Klubnik puts this ball where only his receiver can catch it. Defense rotates to Cover 3 after the snap, which usually takes away these deep middle routes. Safety bites a little too hard on the underneath crosser, though, leaving a small window that Klubnik takes advantage of.
— Ethan Woodie (@ethanwoodienfl.bsky.social) 2025-08-20T03:06:55.264Z
The defense is running a disguised coverage here, showing a two-high safety look pre-snap and shifting to a single-high scheme (Cover 3) as the ball is snapped. The targeted receiver runs a deep post from the slot, a route that is typically taken away by this coverage scheme. However, the receiver gets a step on the corner, who fails to keep pace with him out of his zone. The safety bites down on the underneath crosser, which gives Klubnik just a little bit of daylight. That’s all he needs to loft a beautiful pass to allow his receiver to make a play.
This is another good example. Notice how Klubnik’s deep-field accuracy catches the defense by surprise:
Defense gets confused trying pass off the routes on the left side of the formation, but this is still a great throw from Clemson QB Cade Klubnik. Receiver doesn't even have to break stride as he glides through the secondary.
— Ethan Woodie (@ethanwoodienfl.bsky.social) 2025-08-20T01:21:23.108Z
In this third-and-long situation, the defense is playing a sort of prevent look, with four corners playing deep matching zones and a middle-field safety behind them. The two receivers on the left of the formation cross routes about five yards downfield, with the outside receiver running a slant-and-go (sluggo route) and the slot receiver running a corner route. The zone defenders fail to pass...
